Custer County, Nebraska - The whole text, 1901 (part 7 of 9)

DOW is. This dam wae also washed away, and lie had to travel for eleven miles up the stream to find a crossing place, and then deven miles bacli on the opposite side of the creek, in order to get on the road to Gibson, in Buffalo county, eighteen miles from Sweetwater, where there was also a mill. When he arrived at Gibbon the miller informed him that they were four days behind with their worli, and that it would be impossible for him to get any flour inside of that time, Mr, Morris told the miller that he was eighty miles from home and that his family was without flonr or meal, but the miller positively told him be could not do any grinding for him for four days. Mr. Morris was a very large man, and, swelling himself up until be was conaiderably larger than even his natural size, he told the miller that he was going to feed bis team and that if his grist was not ready in the morning there was going to be trouble. The miller evidently thought he bad struck a pretty tough customer, for when Morris went to the mill in the morning he found the man emptying his flour into bis sacks. Morris and another homesteader who had been to mill started home together, having but one loaf of bread between them. When they separated they divided the bread equally and on the f(rilowing morning about 3 o'clock Mr, Morris reached home, having traveled over 200 miles. During his absence the family had nothing to eat except potatoes, and on the morning of their father's return the children refused to get up when called for breakfast, supposing that it would consist of the same everiasting potatoes they bad been eating morning, noon and night. They did not know their father had returned with a load of flour. When informed that they had hot biscuits for breakfast they got up in a hurry. It was just daybreak when the family sat down to this luxurious meal, but they had hardly started to eat when a rap was heard at the door. It was Mr. Norton, who came over to borrow a sack of flour. He was accommodated, and Mr. Morris sat down to resume his meal when Smith and Fulton appeared on the scene, each after some flour.

E. P. Savage, now governor of the state, came to Sargent in 1879, also Charles Austin, Bion Darling, Daniel Myers, Simeon Perrin, C. Blackman and L. F. Grooms. In the spring of 1879 came William Laughlin, I. C. Tobias, James Haggerty, William Wilde, George Sherman, William Shennan, Henry Fellows, William and James Courtney, David Shaw, Dr. J. L. Goodrich, L. W. F. Cole and James and AVilliam Stennard. Miss Laura Courtney taught the first school in Sargent precinct, with about ten pupils. In August, 1878, the first Sunday school was organized by a missionary preacher of the M. E. Church by the name of Williams. Rev. Zara Norton was superintendent, and the attendance was from twelve to seventeen.

The first white man to settle in what is now Sargent precinct, of whom we have any record, was Joseph A. Woods, who located in what is now known as Wood's park in the spring of 1874. The country at that time must have presented a very wild appearance. There was not a human being living within twenty miles of Mr. Woods, except possibly a family or two on the opposite side of the river near Oak Grove. The next settler to make his home in the Middle Tx)up valley was David S. Groff. Mr. Groff came from York county in the spring of 1876. He and three of his sons entered land adjoining. In less than four years Mr. Groff was compelled to herd his cattle in order to keep them off the growing crops of adjoining settlers. Job Sender located in the valley six miles below Sargent. Job was then a young bachelor. He freighted cedar from the Dismal and hauled goods from Grand Island, the nearest railroad town.

And Shobt Sketches Of Eably Days Im Nebraska

Ad incident which occun'ed in the family of Wilson Dye diirinj; the winter of 1880 is worth relating. Mr, Dye had rou«- to Woods' park, five inites distant, on some errand, probably to get supplies for his family, which coDBiBted of his wife and three small children. AV'hile he was gone a terrible blizzard came on and he was nnable to retnrn home through the blinding

SDOW. The pioneers nol having much stock as a rnle. the Dye family had bnt one oow and a calf to care for, and they were kept on a picket rope, no stable having yet been built for their accommodatioiL Mrs. Dye was very much concerned about her cow, thus exposed to the intense cold and the fury of the storm, and she was afraid that the poor aniuiat and her calf would freeze to death before morning. Like many another pioneer woman Mrs. Dye was equal to almost any kind of au emergency. She jnst took the cow and her calf into the house, which consisted of a single room Hi by '2i. and kept them there until the storm abated.

At this time Ihei-e were six families living in what is now school district Xo. (i: D. S. Orort'. Patrick Sullivan. Wilson Dye, .foliu and Andy Mack and Mrs. Semier. The bacheiors were Job S<'mler, Morris McDonaM and J. I). Finley. the latter being a wi(h>wcr, hut clasced am<mg the haclii-lora for couvenience. Four more fjiniilics canif into the neighborhood thai fall: M. II. Sillivan, A. E. Hi'uner. tieorge tiillett and l.yuuni Wolcoll. Mr. Sillivau moved into a little house on the northeast corner of what is now Mr. Nicolai's farm, then owned by a Mr. Blackman, a Loup City lawyer, who held it aa a timber claim. Mr. Brnner went into J, D. Finley's house, which wag half dugout, half log. Mr. Gillett and Mr. Woleott, having no place in which to move, were compelled to build email eod houses.

George Sherman was postmaster, and what little mail we got came once a week. The nearest grist mill was twenty miles away, called Rocky Ford mill, and was located near where Burwell now stands. The snow wae bo deep that it was almost impossible to get through it with a team. Early in January, John Mack undertook to go to mill with an ox team. He encceeded in getting about two and a half miles from home, and not being very warmly clothed, with a pair of split leather boots and no overshoes, he froze his feet BO badly that he was compelled to return home. He had to wear grain sacks wrapped around his feet all winter.

When the flour was all used up coffee mills were brought into requisition to grind wheat, and bread wa« obtained for weeks at a time by this laborioas process by many a family, who were thankful that they had the wheat to grind. It was quite a common thing to hear people speak of being snowed in. During that winter the dugouts were often entirely buried in the snow and the occupants had to dig their way out frequently.

In 1881 M. H. Sillivan raised forty bushels of coru to the acre without any cultivation. Most of the corn was planted by hand in those days, aa C(wn planters were unknown in the community. Watermelons, muskmelons and squashes were raised in great abundance on the sod.

Our first school was taught by Mrs. William E. SiUivau, it being a three months' term snbscriptiOD school. $1 ]>er month for each pupil, I believe. The school was kept in a little sod house formerly occupied by a family, dimensioiiB about 12 by 16 feet. The text books were some old ones that had been brought from the East. The seats were home-made benches without backs. The writer imagines this was about as rude a place in which to keep school as some of the log school houses our grandfathers and grandmothers used to speak about. School district No. 36 has built two school houses since then, the present one being a good frame building costing over fSOO, including furniture. The school cliildi-en have kept pace with the improvements, especially in numbers, having increased from about fifteen to over fifty. The following fire or six years were spent by the settlers in improving their homesteads.

The writer now wishes to give a little railroad history. In the fall of 1882 the Union Pacific completed its line from St. Paul to Xorth Loup, in Valley county, which is about forty miles from Sargent. About the latter part of

1886 it was completed to Ord. In 1887 the B. & M. built north from Central City to Palmer, from which point one branch extended to Burwell via Ord, and the other to St. Paul, I^up City and Arcadia. The same year the latter branch was graded through Sargent almost to Brewster, forty miles above Sargent. Our people were jubilant, thinking they were going to get a railroad at once. But they were disappointed. They had to wait for twelve years before the road was completed to Sargent. During the winter and spring of 1899 petitions were sent in to the company and such a showing made of our resources that the road was finished to Sargent, the first train running into the village about October 25, 1899. It was welcomed with boimdless joy by the people, many of whom had lived for twenty years waiting and longing for the great event which would place them in close connection with the rest of the world.

The little village of Anselmo stands on the land taken in 1884-5 by M. R. Foster, Harvey Said and Walter Scott. In the winter of 1885-6 the B. & M. railroad surveyed a line of railway from Grand Island to the Black Hills and Anselmo was platted in the fall of ' 1886, the railroad reaching this point a few weeks later. Henry Kelley erected the first building in the village, to be used as a drug store, before the town was platted. The next man to put up a business building was C. F. Graves, to be used as a grocery store. Dorr Heffleman was already on the ground, located in a tent, in which he conducted a bank while his building was in course of erection, afterwards known as the First Bank of Anselmo. This is probably the only bank in Nebraska that was carried on in a tent. The safe was hauled overland from Westerville, where Mr. Heffleman was doing business before he removed to Anselmo. Mr. Heffleman was also agent for the Lincoln Land Company for Anselmo. While the town was being built Harvey Said conducted a hotel in .a sod building half a mile south of town, which was filled to overflowing. The first hotel in the new town was built by Thomas Flood. Weander Bros, conducted the first general store in a temporary building while Mrs. Heffleman was erecting a permanent store building for them, which was completed and occupied about December, 1886. After these came E. C. Gibbs, C. D. Pelham, H. Smith, T. R. Brayton, Dr. Stack, J. H. Brandebury and others. Dr. Hamilton came soon with a drug store. The fii-et newspaper, the Angelmo Sun, was moved from Dale in the fall of 1886 and printed in a tent bj Isaac Meseraull. The postofflce was established in the fall of 1886, with Joe Michael as postmaster, and had ii temporary mail service from Keota. Butch. Calvert, the pioneer meat man, came about the same time. The first lumber yard opened up for bnsineus with a stock that was hauled from Plum Creelt on one wagon. It was unloaded on a spot that was supposed to be the future townsite, hut when the town *as platted the lumber was not in it. Ira Foster was employed to move it to the town and a pretentious sign was set announcing the fact that the National Lumber Company was open for business. The sign, however, bad used up so much of the stock that there was but little left upon which to do business. When the lumber company got around to do business (Dierks Bros.) Kloman & Arnold established their bank in the fall of 1886. The Methodist church was located on the present site in 1887. First school in the village was held in this church until the present school house was buUt in 1888. The first elevator was put up in the fall of 1887 by White & Glade of Crete, Nebraska, and Harvey Said was manager. The Anaelmo flouring mill was brought here from Missouri by John Jessen and afterwards sold to Kloman & Arnold, who remodeled it. The plant is now owned by Isaac Cliirk & Co., Samuel Bowman manager.

The present business men of Anselmo are as follows: H. K. Atkins, general merchandise; Kirk Elder, livery; H. Kelley, druggist and postmaster;

And Short Sketcbes Of Earlv Days In Nebraska

Ira C. Ong was the first settler in Victoria township, locating four miles west ot the present site of the village of Anselmo in the summer of 1879. The next settler was James Lindley, who came in the fall of 1880. Henry Heiny and Thomas B. Russell were the next to locate west of Anselmo, which they did in 1883, moving their families the year following. In the fall of 1883 came Joseph and Alvio Adkins, with their brothers, Morris, John and Calvin, and Granville Dishman, a brother-in-law, and William M. Dixon, who all took claims in the vicinity. Ira and Rolla Foster, Daniel B. Allen and Ramuel Ryan came in the spring of 1884, with Walter Scott a litUe later the same year, and Harvey Said in 1885. Nearly all of these settlers made the home of James Liodley their headquarters until they got their own buildings ready to live in.

James Lindley came to Custer county in August, 1880, locating upon the northwest quarter of section 17, township 19, range 22, where he is still living. He arrived at New Helena, April 22nd, with 25 cents of his money left upon which to commence business in the wilderness. He was elected justice of the peace in 1881 and held the ofSce six years. He relates a few incidents which occurred while adminkrtering justice in these early days that may not be out of place here. Upon one occasion two Irishmen had some difficulty about the boundary line between their claims and the result was a collision. The one who came out second best in the row came to Mr. Lindley to get justice, his face covered with blood and his nose in a very demoralized condition. The justice issued a warrant for the arrest of his antagonist, handed it to him and directed him to the home of the constable. In due time the constable appeared at the home of the justice with both of the men. After reading the complaint the defendant pleaded not guilty, and a trial was had without counsel or witnesses, each man pleading his own case. The plaintiff alleged that defendant had come to his place and commenced the row. The defendant promptly denied that he had commenced the row, but admitted that he had gone to the plaintiff's house, and said that the plaintiff had attacked him with a pitchfork. The plaintiff then turned toward the defendant, laid his index finger on his nose and asked :

And sure enough it had that appearance, and well chewed at that. The plaintiff was fined $1 and costs and the two departed together appariMitly satisfied with the result of the suit. Upon another occasion Mr. Lindley had occasion to go to the sod house of three bachelors, when one of them in a joking mood asked him how much he would charge him to perform the marriage ceremony. Not being rushed with business of that sort, Mr. Lindley replied that he would do it for half price. The second bachelor then spoke up and wanted to know how much the justice would charge to marry him. The accommodating justice said he would marry him free. Then the third bachelor was anxious to know what the charge for marrying him would be. "O, I'll marry you for nothing, and board you and your wife free for a week,'' laughingly replied Mr. Lindley. The first two never called upon Mr. Lindley to assist them into wedlock, but not very long afterwards number three appeared with a fair maiden and insisted that the justice fulfill his agreement, which Mr. Lindley did, and the groom being of a generous disposition, boarded with the justice two weeks instead of one. From the small capital with which Mr. Lindley commenced business in Custer county he has accumxilated an independence. He is the owner of 1,580 acres of land, GOO under cultivation, twenty acres of trees and all free from incumbrance.

And Shobt Sketches Of Bkbly Days In Nebbaska

One day shortly before S o'clock a. ni. four strauge horsemen rode into the village of Sargent. Meeting Bob McGregor, they represented that they were from Brown county in search of two boys who had accidentally set the prairie on flre, doing a lot of damage, and who, in order to escape the wrath of their father, had supposedly taken his team and made their f-acape to parts anknowD. He informed them thai he had seen nothing of tlie boys, but that two men on horseback had passed through town about two hours before. This information appeared to satisfy the men. and without further delay they followed in the wake of the horsemen referred to by McGregor. They found the two men had passed the night at Bi Darling's old honse about a mile west of the village, who evidently did not know tlicy were being so closely followed, as. after crossing the Middle lx)up river they stopped at Whipple's ranch and played a game of croquet. They then took their direction and leisurely rode away, little dreaming that four pursuers were hot on their trail and lessening the distance between them every minute. They struck Clear creek at I^ne Tree and rode up to Elias Mottinger's house. No one being at home, they go in, western fashion, and help themselves to such eatables as they can find. The wind is blowing a gale from the south, and as they emerge from Mottinger's house to proceed on their way tbey do not observe four horsemen approaching them from a distance. The four horsemen, however, have sighted their game, and galloping their horses down a hill into a canon to be out of view, are closing in on the fugitives as fast as possible. One of the thieves does not appear to be armed, and the other has his gun strapped to his saddle. They had barely mounted to rt*ijume their journey when two of their pursuers dashed up, one in front, and the other in the rear. Harris, the man in front, shouts: ^*Throw up your hands!" Arnold, the man with the Winchester, throws up one of his hands with a revolver in it, and his revolver and another in the hand of Harris both speak at the same instant; but Harris gets in his second shot too quick for Arnold, whose weapon drops from his nerveless hand to the ground. By this time the horse had carried Arnold quite a distance from where the shooting commenced, and in a few moments he is alongside his companion, who immediately bends down and begins to unstrap Arnold's Winchester as they both gallop along side by side, closely followed by the now thoroughly alarmed vigilantes. Davis is the nearer to the two men. but his revolver is empty. He sees that the Winchester will soon be leveled at him, and dashing up beside the man, he thrusts his empty revolver in his face and thunders out: '*Put up your hands or I'll blow the top of your head off!" The fellow not knowing Davis' weapon is harmless, obeys. Arnold falls fi^om his horse and the other is bound. The other two vigilantes soon arrive on the scene and it is discovered that Harris has been shot through the top of his shoulder, while another bullet grazed his temple. It appeared later that Harris had shot Arnold twice through the body, and that any one of his three shots would have proven fatal.

The vigilantes returned to Sargent with their prisoner, leaving Arnold where he fell, weltering in his blood, where he was found by Milton Parkhurst and James Chambers at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, dead. They also found his revolver where it had dropped from his hand, two of its chambers empty. Mr. Parkhurst, a justice of the peace, sent a man to Broken Bow to notify Sheriff Penn. In the meantime the vigilantes had reached Sargent with their prisoner, who was identified by McGregor as one of the men who had ridden through town that morning. He inquired what they had done with the other man.

They were about to go on their way with the prisoner, when William Sherman^ Joe Thomas, J. H. Brandebury, George Walker, deputy sheriff, and

Others demanded an explanation, as they claimed to be hunting boys in the morning. The vigilantes replied that they supposed they were pursuing two boys, and that they did not know that Arnold had broken out of the jail at Valentine until they discovered him to be one of the fugitives The Sargent committee informed the two men that it appeared to be a serious matter, and that they would not be allowed to leave town until an inquest had been held upon the body of Arnold. Harris replied with an oath that the citizens had no authority to hold them, and that they would bum powder before they would stay.

"You fellows may do business that way up in Brown county," said Joe Thomas, "but we are partially civilized in Custer county, and have a different way of doing things. You will have to stand a trial, and if you are all right you will be none the worse for staying with us for a while."

J. H. Brandebury, coroner, George Walker and Davis went after Arnold's body, while Harris submitted to have his wounds attended to by Dr. Waynick. The other two vigilantes were permitted to go, as even the prisoner said they had no hand in the shooting. The coroner arrived with the body about 2 o'clock the next morning, and an inquest was held which resulted in a verdict of shooting in self-defense. The two men were taken to Broken Bow, however, with, the prisoner, by Sheriff Penn, who soon discovered that the prisoner was an outlaw by the name of Bohannan, who was wanted by two sheriffs, who came near killing each other shortly afterwards in a quarrel as to which was to have him. Penn turned the prisoner over to his captors, who took him back to Brown county, receiving a reward of JIOO. He was convicted of cattle stealing and sent to the penitentiary for twelve years.

Coroner Brandebury telegraphed to the chief of police of Lincoln to see Arnold's mother and sister and ascertain whether they desired to have the body shipped to Lincoln or buried in Custer county. The old lady replied: "Well, I s'pose he might jest as well be buried up thar and save expenses," while the devoted «ister remarked : "I told Joe he'd git shot if he didn't quit his cattle rustlin'." And so Joe Arnold, the cattle thief, was laid away beneath the buffalo sod of Custer county, and there were no mourners at his fimeral.

The depth to water on the table lands of Custer county entailed many hardships on the early settlers. None of them had the means to sink modem wells to such a depth, and had consequently to resort to the laborious method of hauling water in barrels from the lower lands, often having to go as far as six miles for it. Some of the settlers on the tables dug wells from 200 to 300 feet in depth and hauled water out of them by horse power. The existence of these fearful holes in the ground, mostly without curbing, resulted in many accidents, some of which will be found described in other parts of this work. In the fall of 1895 F. W. Carlin fell into a well 143 feet deep, and he thus describes the manner in which he climbed out in the Custer CJounty Beacon of September 5th of that year:

While driving through the country about fifteen miles northwest of Broken Bow on the evening of August 14th. it became quite dark and I found 1 had taken the wrong track and driven up to some old sod building. I turned around and started down what looked to me like a good road into the draw, when one of my horses seemed to step down into a place. I got out of the wagon and started along side of the team to be sure that the road was all right, when without a moment's notice I became aware of the fact that I had stepped into an old well and was going down like a shot out of a gun.

I placed my feet close together, stretched my arms straight over my head and said. "Oh God, have mercy on me! ' and I honestly believe that saved my life, but I went down, down, and it seemed to me I would never reach the bottom. The further I went, the faster I went and never seemed to touch the sides at all.

I supposed of course, it would kill me when I struck the bottom, but God had heard my prayer. I struck in the mud and water which completely covered me over. I was considerably stunned, but was able to straighten up and get my head above the water. I scrambled around and finally extracted my legs from the mud, and finally stood on my feet in the water which came just up to my arms. It was very cold, and I tried a number of times to get out of the water only to fall back. The curbing was somewhat slimy. I finally managed to break off a small piece from the curbing and found a crack in which I managed to fasten it into and perched myself upon it until morning. While sitting there I heard my team running away. In them was my only lioi)es of rescue. For I was aware of the fact that I was at least a mile and a half from the nearest house, and that no one knew that I was there.

The only serious injury I received was a badly sprained ankle, which gave me great pain. I also had a sore place on my back, which I found a number of days afterwards to be a broken rib. As soon as daylight appeared, I began to look around and take in the situation. In looking up it seemed to me at least 100 feet to the top. But I learned afterwards that it was exactly 143 feet deep.

It was curbed in places with curbing about three feet square. There would be a place curbed for about from six to sixteen feet and then there would be a place that was not curbed at all. The curbing was perfectly tight, not a crack between them that I could get my fingers into, and covered with a slimy mud. I at once concluded that my only chance for rescue was my knife, if it had not fallen out of my pocket while floundering in the mud, so thrusting my hand into my pocket, there it was, and a good one too. I took it and began cutting foot holes in the sides of the curbing; it was very slow but sure. I never went back a foot after I had gained it. When I would get to the top of a curbing, I took the boards that I had cut out and made me a seat in one corner, and in this way I think I got up about fifty feet the first day. Sometime in the afternoon I came to a curbing which I thought I could not get through; it was of solid 1 by 6 boards closely fitted together and not less than sixteen feet to the top of it. Bo I made myself a good seat, fixing myself as comfortable as possible. I concluded that I must stay here and await assistance, or die there.

I stayed there all the next night and slept one-half of the time, for the night did not seem very long. I would have been quite comfortable had I not been so wet and cold, and my feet pained me terribly, which was the greatest drawback. I had to do most of my climbing on one foot.

I remained at that point the greater part of the next forenoon, calling often for help. One thing was in my favor; I was neither hungry nor thirsty. 1 began to give up all hopes. I thought of my wife and little boy, who were always so glad to see me when I came home from a trip. I thought how the little fellow would never see his papa or run to meet him when he returned home again. That was too great. I made up my mind that I would get out or die in the attempt. So I took a piece of board and put some sand on it and got the point of my knife good and sharp and began cutting away the curbing and making one foot hole after another. I cut, climbing higher and higher and was at last on top of the curbing. From there I would have been comfortable if my feet had not hurt me so badlv. But I cut holes in the elav for my hands and feet with my knife and finally I got within about sixteen feet of the top. Right there I had the worst hindrance I had met yet. It was a round curbing four feet high and perfectly smooth on the inside. It was washed out around it until it was only held from dropping by a little peg on one side. I knew if I tried to go up through it, it was pretty sure to break loose and go to the bottom with me. So my only chance was to go up between the curb and the wall. This I was fortunate in doing. By going to work and digging away the wall, in half an hour I had a hole large enough to let me pass through. After that it was but a short job to reach the top, which I did, and lay for some time exhausted.

I then knelt down and thanked Almighty God for sparing my life, as I had prayed for him to do, time and again during the past two days and nights that I had been in the well.

But mv trouble was not at an end vet. I was one and a half miles from a house with a foot 1 could not step on. I cut some large weeds and made out to hobble and crawl to the road, about fortv rods distant, and there I lav until nearly sundown looking for a team which never came. After getting out in the sun, I became very thirsty. At last I gave up looking for any one and started to crawl on my hands and knees to find a house, but I soon gave out and had to lie out another night. In the morning I felt somewhat better. Starting out again 1 finally arrived at the home of Charles Francis just at daylight, where I was given food and drink, after being without for two days and three nights.

My team was found the next day after I fell in the well by a man by the name of Green with the doubletrees and neck yoke attached to them. To Mr. Green great credit is due. He took them to a justice of the peace, filed an estray notice and turned them into the pasture. Thus complying with the law and taking away the last chance for being discovered.

Let this be a warning to all who may read it to fill up all the old wells in their neighborhood, for we know not who the next may be. Also remember to trust in God, for he can save when no one else can. No one could have taken the fall that I did and get out alive, without the aid of a Higher Power than theirs.

And Short Sketches Of Early Dats In Nebbaska

In beJDg called upon to furnish some farls rdalive to the early settlement of Custer county I shall confine myself principally to the locality in which 1 first made settlement. This will take me back to a period beginning sevcDteen years ago. Up to 1880 cattle men had undisputed possession of thous- ands of acres of land that in the three years following its occupancy yielded an average of twenty bushels of wheat per acre. But the settler came, and he came to stay. Many were veterans of the Civil War, were in the prime of vigorons manhood, and held life a« cheap and could shoot as straight as the daredevil cowboy, and not unfrequently "got the drop" on those who had heretofore hoaated of having things pretty much their own way. Thus, in part, the problem of settlement had become adjusted and the way made easy for those who in 1883-84 were pioneers in the settlement of the southwestern part of Custer county.

The way of approach, in those days, was from Kearney along the Wood river valley to its confluence with the South I^oup at a point near the present site of Callaway. Further west were Plum Creek and Cozad, points on the line of the Union Pacific; the former about thirty miles from the south line of Custer; the latter fifteen miles nearer. At this point there was a gently undulating tract of country then known far and near as "Buffalo Table," located in township thirteen and fourteen, ranges twenty-two and twenty-three, being within the twenty mile limit, every odd numbered section of this entire table land was included in the grant of the Union Pacific. Inviting as it was with its deep, rich soil, none of its lands were appropriated until the latter part of 1883. The first entry made in this locality was by no let^s a personage than Patrick Egan of Lincoln. It was on s^Miion thirty-four, township fourteen, range twenty-three. No breaking being done the first year, by contest it passed into the hands of Ernest Schneider. The first homestead entries made were bv Harvev Stockham and Otto Jaster, November 14, 1883, and by Charles B. Drum, December 13th, which comprised all entries made during that year. February 11, 1884, James Whitehead made homestead entry for lands adjoining Charles Diaim, and with the opening spring, Ernest Schneider, John Ilelmuth, Charles W. Redfern and his son Frank, with Henry, Chris, and John Miller, appeared upon the scene, selected and settled upon their lands and immediately begun improvements.

It was the purpose of the writer to secure by purchase a half section of railroad land adjoining, or as near as possible to his homestead; this he supposed he had done, but on reaching his home in Wisconsin was apprised by Hon. J. H. MacColl of Plum Creek, agent for the railroad company, that the lands selected by him had passed into other hands. This necessitated his immediate return to Nebraska. Accompanied by J. A. Mahaffy and George Healy we reached Plum Creek about the 10th of March. The morning following our arrival we started for the table lands accompanied by Mr. Huey, surveyor of Dawson county. It was after night when we reached the divide. The weather, which had been warm, had turned cold and snow began to fall. It had been our intention to pass the night upon the prairie and we had come prepared, bringing robes, blankets and a supply of provisions to last us several days. The increasing cold and falling snow which Mr. Huey, who was an "old timer," assured us might develop into a regular blizzard, made the outlook anything but encouraging. After traveling some distance in the darkness we saw a glimmering light and heard the barking of a dog; this led us to the claim of Ernest Schneider. Though he had arrived but a day or two before, he had a frame dwelling partly erected, which with his own and other fami lies, and belated travelers like ourselves, seemed full to overflowing; notwithstanding this we received a hearty welcome. The building was but partly roofed and through the night the snow^ descended upon those who stretched themselves upon the floor and sought rest and forgetfulness of discomforts in sleep. Beneath a pile of blankets in one corner of the room that was better protected from the storm, lay the sick wife of our host. She never recovered, but died shortly after and was buried near by; the first death and burial that marked the early settlement of that vicinity. In addition to those I have named. William Greenfield, Joe Malson, Ezra Wright, R. E. Williams, J. W. Bissell, John Matz, William Gibson. Chris. Helmuth, the Wysharts, were pioneer settlers of the table or its environments, followed in time by John McGuigan and the Armours, also Joe Gilmore, A. P. Cox, Oliver Whitehead, Willis Hines, the Langes. David and William Rain, John Runcie and John Berwick. The all-absorbing question that presented itself to every settler was water, and how it might be obtained. Away to the east in Wood river valley, Van Antwerp and Thurman had wells, but they were from six to ten miles distant; there were none nearer and the combined means of all was not BuflBcient to put one down. To meet this exigency ©isterns were dug on the edge of draws or bordering lagoons, th«uJttjjTply depending upon the rainfall and their ability to secure and conserve it. All that was met, endured and overcome, the difficulties and obstacles to success in the way of those early settlers, will never be known or written. Water there was in abundance; the best, purest and most wholesome that could slake the thirst and gladden the heart of man or beast, but it was from four to five hundred feet below the surface and the means of securing it an unsolved problem.

Among those who had come into this locality were two men, Mr. Edward Crewdson, a wealthy Englishman who had purchased three sections of railroad land and was engaged in stock raising, and Mr. Gregory J. Campau of Detroit, who had purchased a large tract of land and was also a man of considerable means. These men put down hydraulic wells and secured a never failing and abundant supply of water to which the settler had free access. The last named even put down a large cistern into which a stream of water was pumped continuously for the use and accommodation of those who had no other means of securing the life-giving beverage. On several occasions Mr. Crewdson deprived his cattle of the water they craved in order that the wants of his neighbors might first be satisfied. These men have passed away; but monuments have been raised to perx>etuate the deeds and memory of many whose claims to remembrance were not so well founded. But their names are

We ascertained that we were included in school district number three, which extended to the Dawson county line, six miles to the south, and to a I)oint several miles north of the present site of Callaway, while the school house was some fifteen miles distant, in what was known as '*Sand Vallev." During the fall of 1885 we took steps to organize a new district. In this enterprise Mr. Redfern rendered most efficient aid. As indicating the character and intelligence of the people, also the progress made in the organization of school districts at that early day. our district was designated as No. 113. The school house was built of sod, was comfortable and commodious; the people contributed the work and Mr. Crewdson generously furnished the lumber and all material that entered into its construction, which he delivered free upon the ground. The first officers elected were C. W. Redfern, director, Chris. Miller, moderator, and James Whitehead, treasurer. Miss Louisa Cornish (now Mrs. Johnson of lx)di) was the first teacher and proved a most capable and efficient instructor. Although most of us had held membership in different churches in our former homes, no minister of any denomination had come among us, and no preaching services had been held in that vicinity. With the erection of a schoolhouse we were anxious to make amends for this apparent neglect and begin life aright in our new home. Mr. Crewdson, who was an Episcopalian, assured us he had a man in mind that could be secured, and soon thereafter services were announced with Rev. L. G. Brooker, ^*The Cow Boy Preacher,'' officiating; owing to reports that had reached us relative to the man's past, great interest was attached to this first sermon. The Rev. Brooker, or **Brooker," as he was commonly called, was a character as unique, and possessed a personality as striking as in their day did Lorenzo Dow or Peter Cartwright. He owned and lived upon a farm in Platte valley, twentytwo miles to the south, had been converted some four years before and became so strongly imbued with the conviction that he was **divinely called" to preach that he could find neither rest nor peace until he had consecrated himself to the ministry. Ordained by the Evangelical Association, he had been engaged in the work about three years when in the fall of 1885 he preached his first sermon on Buffalo Table. It was the first religious service or meeting some who were there had attended in two years. His efforts were well received and in due time he made fortnightly appointments which in connection with other points he continued to fill for three years. As an evangelist and organizer this unlettered Bonarges had but few equals, and measured by results he attained a success denied to manv whose entire life had been devoted to the study of rhetoric and theolog;^ . He was a man of fine physique; about thirty-five years of age and though slender in build possessed of wonderful endurance and great physical strength. By a brother minister he was pronounced "a compound bundle of energy/' We have known him in the early winter to drive from his home to fill a forenoon appointment at Redfern schoolhouse, and without stopping to eat or feed his team push on to Sand Valley, fifteen miles, for afternoon, and from thence across the Loup seven miles further to Triumph schoolhouse for evening service, having in many instances eaten nothing from early morning until his day's work was ended. His field of labor was known and designated by the conference as "Custer Mission." When he entered upon this field his church had not a single member, but as evidencing his zeal and earnestness, in eighteen mouths he had received into membership one hundred and fifty persons and built and dedicated free from debt, two frame churches. During that time and apart from his personal contributions he received the munificent sum of fifteen dollars for his labors. He remained and had charge of this mission for nearly four years; has since presided over churches in Kearney and Grand Island, his ministrations being invariably attended by his old-time success. I have devoted this space to him for the reason that he entered so largely into the life and experiences of those times; believing also that in the settlement of this portion of the county the "cowboy preacher ' had a Avork to do, which all things considered he performed faithfully and well. As largely due to his efforts in organizing and laying the foundation and the high character of his ministerial successors, who were repectively Reverends Dillow, Maze, Kirkpatrick, Gill, Devol and Wolford, the following named persons have entered the ministry and been assigned to duty in other fields, viz: David Bain, James Runcie, Frank Drum and John Clark. I have heretofore referred to this localitv as "Buffalo Table,'' the name by which it is known to the hunters and pioneers of other localities. With the establishment of a postoffice in the fall of 1884, known and designated upon the maps as Redfern, it thenceforth became known by that name. The first postmaster was C. W. Redfern, followed by Charles Drum and William Gibson. Immediately following their settlement Redfern and Drum formed a partnership and engaged in the well business. Being men of resource and mechanical skill they were successful from the start. The hauling of water in barrels which occupied so much of the early settlers' time was thus virtually brought to an end. In 1890 Schneider, Helmuth, Redfern, Miller and Williams secured wells, vai*ying in depth from 404 to 460 feet.

ingly pathetic as the circumstances that surrounded the death and burial of Mrs. Campau. Born and raised in the city of Detroit, she was twenty years her husband's junior. She had enjoyed social and educationiil advantages unknown to those she met and whose acquaintance she formed in her frontier home; this, how-ever, was never manifested towards the humblest of her neighbors, to whom by her kindly acts and friendly ways she became endeared. Taken suddenlv ill, her sickness was known to few until her death was announced. On the dav fixed for the funeral it s<^^med as if the entire community had assembled for miles around. Their dwelling, then the best farm house in the county, was on the southern slope of the table land and looked forth upon a beautiful valley along which hiy the road that kni to I>exington. On that sloping hillside, but a few feet from the porch, they had prepared her grave, and when her colhned remains had been lowered, from among the gathered mourners the husband and fath(*r advanced, and with raised hand as if to command attention. i>aid in deep, tender tones a most touching tribute to the worth and excellence of the dej»arted. "I have known the one," he remarked "whose open grave we stand besidc\ from childhood. 8he was not in anv sense a societv woman, but one whose heart was in her home, whose solicitude was for her family." concluding in tremulous tones, "but her work on earth is accomplished, her mission is fulfilled; I wish that I were lying beside her." And there he now does rest, the summons coming some two or three years later. Of the entire family numbering nine souls, but two I'emain; the balance are dead and scattered. Frank and (Jabriel occupy the old home, faithful guardians of tln^ir parents' remains; determined that their resting place shall not pass into strangt^rs' hands. In those grass-covered mounds, by daily contact, they have a constant and ever present reminder of the changes and mutations time, merciless and unrelenting, has brought to them.

The sod schoolhouse having served its day and pui'pose has been supplanted by a frame structure of increas4Hl dimensions. Meeting with friendt? and former neighbors on the occasion of "Children's Day" last summer, we witnessed the assembling of one* hundred and sixty people who participated in and by their presence encouraged exercises that nmrked an era of growth and prosperity that sj)oke volumes for the character and intelligence of the community, llu* children of those days have grown to manhood and womanhood; some of them still linger at the old home, while others have married and in homes of their own are se(*king to (^xtract from life all of joy and happiness it may contain. The pion(*ers themselves are growing old, but in all that marks the march of civilization, to which they contributed and their hands have helped to build, they have ercMted monuments that will endure, and by which their memory will be perpetuated when the marble that marks their resting place shall have cnimbled to decay.

And Short Skbtches Of Eably Days In Nebraska

<J. H. Jeffords, who settled about five miles west of that city, iu the spring of T^880. To show the innoccnee and inexperieme of these two bachelors, who

Mrs. K. Jepfobds

-sessions, and which was drawn by a yoke of oxen, we will tell a little storj their expense. As they began to leave th« settlements on their journey "^'est into the wilderness, they thonght it wonld be a fine thing to have fresh during the summer, in their new home, and in order to he able to enjoy ^his luxury they struck a bargain with a thrifty housewife for a dozi'n fine .^oung chickens, the flock heiug shortly afterwards increast^d by tlie addition «f six hens which they got at an astonishing bargain from anotlier house- "wife along the way. When they arrived near the ju'esent site of the city of Broken Bow they camped with Wilson Hewitt, and as that kind and accommodating pioneer invited the wayfarers to make their headipiarters there until they got their claims located, they turned their chickens loose, inviting Mrs.

Hewitt out to inspect the flock. Mrs. Hewitt looked them over with the eye of an experienced housewife and then fell into such a fit of laughter that the boys thought she had gone crazy. When she recovered her composure she informed the young poultry fanciers that their flock consisted of eleven young roosters, one pallet and six old hens tliat had probably come over in Noah's ark and that had long since passed the i)eriod of their usefiUness as layers of eggs. The boys were of course very much crestfallen as their visions of fresh eggs were thus suddenly dashed to the ground, and also very indignant at the unfair advantage that had been taken of their ignorance by the women who had sold them the chickens. They promptly math* Mrs. Hewitt a present of the whole flock and did not again attempt to embark in the poultry business until after they were married.

and one child. He also imported two mules and on(» cow, and from the latter Mrs. Reyner supjilied the whole settlement with butter during the following summer, churning it in a half-gallon crock. The baby. Paul, now a fine young man, served as a soldier in the First Nebra^ika regiment in the Philippine islands. These settlers celebrated the Fourth of July, 1880, in a canon south of the tableland which lies east of Merna, together wtih a number of others from the vicinity of Broken Bow, among whom were Wilson Hewitt, C. D. Pelham, Moses L<nvis and others, with their families.

Mr. Jett'ords locatc*d just east of what is known in Broken Bow as the West Table, in a section of country known at that time as South Muddy Flat. Among the next settlers in this vicinity were R. M. Longfellow and Sebastian Xeth. the latter widely known for his energy and business capacity, having >'erved th<? people ably several times as a member of the county board of supervisors. The neighborhood was also favored in the ac(iuisition of a couple of school teachers from Ohio, named Mary E. and Agnes A. Price, but they soon ( nded their career as school teachers and formed partnerships with two bachelors, Jeffords and Brown, and the result of these partnerships is a number of young bug eaters who will probably tigui'e in Custer county history long after tlieir parents are forgotten.

And Short Sketches Of Early Days In Nfbraska

While an ooeasional service was held in Oallwav bv the missionarv r*esident of Broken Bow. under the direction of the Right Reverend George XTorthington, Bishop of Nebraska, it was not until the consecration of Right Heverend Anson R. Graves, January 1, 1890, and the setting aside of the jurisdiction of the Platte, that any regular services were held in Callaway, ishop Graves visited Callaway May 16, 1800, and arranged for regular ser- .'ices by Rev. W. S. Sayers, rector at Broken Bow. Under his active encourgement and help Holy Trinity Church was erected and the mission built up. The church building cost 11,500, and was erected in 1890. To the ceaseless energy of Mrs. Georgia Ingram, more than to any other one person, is due the oredit for the erection of the largest church building in Callaway. Its corner stone w^as laid with due Masonic ceremonies, November 25, 1890, this being ^he first instance in which this symbolic service was held in Custer county. The officers present were: M. W. Robert E. French, grand master; R. W. H^ee, P. Gillett, Grand Custodian, assisted by forty master Masons, local and visitors. Broken Bow sent twenty-six Masons. In the furnishing of the church manv beautiful and useful articles were received from various liberal <!hurchmen, among which were: Silver communion service, by the sons of O. IM. Carter, Omaha; Holy Bible. Church of the Heavenly Rest, New York; bell, -^ohn Taylor & Co., Ijaughborough, England; altar linen, altar hangings and dossal curtain, beautiful white set, Mrs. Georgia Ingram, San Diego, California; purple set, Mrs. Graves, wife of the bishop; green set. Ladies' Guild; alms basin, Rev. R. G. Osborn of Platte Collegiate Institute; corner stone, cross, Mr. Osborn of Kearney granite works; candlesticks, gilt and silver, Arthur Bird; vases, V. G. Gurinian.

The year 1893 brought a financial panic and a failure of crops. A tornado June 4, 1894, threw the church off its foundation and injured everything in the building. This year of misfortunes the church was moved to a new location, repaired, furnace put in and rectory built, necessitating an expenditure of 1950 in cash. By some strange coincidence the greatest material advance fo Holy Trinity Church seems to come in the times of greatest financial depression. The church was consecrated free of debt, January 1, 1895, and organized as a mission under the rules of the bishop of the Platte, July 7, 1895. The jurisdiction of the Platte was abolished and the jurisdiction of Laramie took its place in 1898. Services were held at first once a month, sometimes once in two months, but the church had so prospered that since 1900 regular morning and evening services have been held every Sunday. The rector does missionary work along the Kearney & Black Hills railroad and around Callaway. The following rectors have had charge of this mission under Right Rev. Anson R. (Jraves, S. T. I)., bishop of Laramie: Rev. W. S. Sayres, Rev. S. A. Potter, Rev. II. E. Robbins, Rev. Austin F. Morgan, Rev. E. P. Chittenden, Ph. 1).; Rev. John Powers, Rev. A. E. Osborn, Rev. R. A. Russell, Rev. Charles Ferguson, Rev. R. M. Herdman. Rev. J. M. Bates. Number of communicants. May 1, PJOl, fifty. The present official members of the church are: Senior warden, 11. H. Andrews; junior warden, Greorge O. linger; clerk, Mrs. Clara Renger; organist. Miss Emily Uolloway; lay reader, H. H. Andrews. To the chief shej)h(»rd of the fiock. Bishop Graves, is due chief praise for his good work in this mission, giving it the best of his clergy and ever raising funds to improve its property.

The Ladies* (Juild of the P. E. Church wa.s organized by the Right Rev. Anson R. Graves at the time of his first visit to Callaway, May IG, 1890. This organization Avas completed May 27, 1890, by the adoption of the by-laws and the eUn^tion of the following officers: President, Mrs. Lydia F. Bird; vice president, Mrs. Catherine E. Nixon; secretary, Mrs. Georgia A. Ingram; treasurer, Mr. George S. Smith. The following members were first enrolled: Mrs. Lydia F. Bird, ^Irs. Anna Tyson, Mrs. Catherine E. Nixon, Mrs. Etta Bergman, Mrs. Georgia A. Ingram, ^Irs. Fannie Sherwood, Mrs. Martha Pike, Miss Lucy J. Johnston. From this nucleus sprang, not a large, but a very actiA'e guild, which has been the mainstay of Holy Trinity Church. The history of the guild is the history of the church. The guild really was the prime mover in building and furnishing the church. It purchased the historical organ, the organ that for years was the only one in the town, and which was used on every occasion, and which finally, through the liberality of the guild, found a resting place within the church, and uoav dispensers sacred music as sweetly as it did secular harmonies in its youth. The guild furnished the seats of the church, the communion rail and the altar. It paid for half of the English bell and paid freight and custom duties on it. The bell was a half gift from John Taylor & Co., I^iughborough, England. So not only is the church in communion Avith the Church of England, but the congregation assembles every Sunday at -the ring and call of its English bell. The guild has supported in part the rector's salary, paid incidental expenses, sexton and organist, and made up deficiencies in geneml. During the drouf^ht of 1890 it disbursed needful articles to the indigent and worthy poor, and the «ame was true of the great drought of 1804. It is the active, w^orking organization of the church, rich in good deeds and worthy of the highest praise. The present officers are: President, Mrs. Hattie Andrews; secretary, Mrs. Clara Benger, vice president, Mrs. Josephine IMiillips; treasurer, Mr. H. H. Andrews. The membership i« about twentv.

Holv Trinitv 8undav sch()ol includes fortv tetichers and scholars. Membership remains about stationary. Superintendent since (U'ganization, H. H. Andrews. Teachers: Oliver IMiillips, ^iabel Decker, Emma Conly, Emily llolloway, Emily Hrega.

The Sundav school librarv was donated bv iiarties in Elizabeth. New Jersey, and Brooklyn, New York. About half came fnuu Miss Nellie Allan, Cincinnati, a foruu r teacher in the Sundav school.

In the space to which the writer is limited, it is a difficult task to give a complete description of the country surrounding ^fason City. Neither can we give a full detail of pioneer settlement and early historical incidents. We deal with these matters only in a general way.

Mason City, the **Queen City'' of the Muddy valley, is located on the Grand Island & Wyoming branch of the B. & M. railroad, fifty-seven miles northwest of Grand Island, twenty-three miles southeast of Broken Bow, and forty-five miles north of Kearnev. Tlie location of Mason Citv, situated as it is almost the central part of the southeastern quarter of Custer county, is worthy of the attention of all who desire to locate in a town for which not only nature, but circumstances, have provided for so abundantly, and one which will undoubtedly make a busy, bustling town of importance. The townsite was located by the Lincoln I^nd Company in April, 188G. The land on which the town now stands was purchased of Nels Anderson and Mrs. George W. Runyan, 160 acres being secured from each of these parties. About one-half of this 320 acres has been platted into lots, the other half being held by the com- pan; for the same purpose in case the growth of the town demands it. The slope from the hills to the valley is gradual, just snfflclent for good drainage. Nearly all the different branches of business, trades and professions are represented here by a live and energetic set of people. The following is a full list of the different branches of business, and those who represent them: The MasoD City Banking Company, with P. H. Marley president. .1. -!. Marley vice president, and R. B. Walker cashier. In addition to the banking business, Mr, Marley is extensively engaged in the real estate business. The Mason City Transcript is the only newspaper published in Mason City. The paper waa es tablisbed by Martin & Dellinger in June, 1886. M. C. Warrington, the present proprietor and editor, has had active control of the paper since August, 1886, making bim the oldest editor in point of service and continuous connection with one paper in Custer county. For some years past the editor has been ably assisted in the publication of the paper by William A. Anderson. The mercantile business of Mason City is represented by E. G. Burrows, general merchandise; W. C. Elliott, general merchandise; T. J, Wood, general merchandise; 0. H, Moomey, general mercbaudise, 8. M. Chase, general merchandise; A. O'Brien, hardware and groceries; U. P. Meek, fruit and groceries; Hurley & Warrington, hardware, harness and farm machinery; P. A. Carlson, M. I>. C, veterinarian; John M. Browning, hotel; J. H, McAdams, furniture;

The first merchant to do business in the village was A. Gates, who opened a store in July, 1886, in a small shed building. R. B. Walker was Mr. Gates' clerk. Mr. Gates retired from business in 1900. The first railroad train to enter the townsite was on July 27, 1880, and the then few residents of the town had a joyful celebration. Mason City was incori>orated in 1887, and the school district. No. 109, was aTso organized in 1887. The schools of the village have always been kejM up to th(* highest standard of excellence.

There have been some exciting occurrences in the history of Mason Citj'. In November, 1880, a store building owned and occupied by Mack & McEndefi'er, was destroyed by fire and three persons, J. J. Hoagland, Malcohn Miller and Malcolm McEndeffer, lost their lives. On July 2, 1892, a cyclone visited Mason City and vicinity and danuige to tin* amount of |20,000 was done in the village. The school house, two churches any many other buildings were destroyed. A great deal of damage was also done in the country surrounding the town. The religious interests of the people of Mason City are well looked after. There are three church buildings, the Baptist, J. R. Woods, resident pastor; this was the first church organized, and has a large membership; the M. E. people erectc*d a handsome church edifice in 1899; the Catholic church organization hav(* a neat and commodious place of Avorship, and services are supplied by Rev. Father Flannigan of Dale.

The valley of the Muddy, in which Mason City is so favorably located, is from two to three miles wide and has been so often described by the enthu- sjastic tourist that to speak now of its superior advantages and adaptability to the requirements of the farmer and stockman would be sui)erfluous. It is traversed throughout its lengtli by the Muddy, a clear stream of pure spring water, which at many places, and particularly at Mason City, has been utiliz(»d as a water power of an almost unlimited capacity, by simply throwing a short dam across it. The valley at this point is about three miles broad. Going worth across the valley we come to the hills, which at a glance seem rough. but a closer inspection discloses beautiful sequestered parks, broad terraces and level prairie land, very inviting to the eye of the agriculturalist. Actual experience has demonstrated the soil of these lands to be as rich and productive as the valley land. Even the rougher hills and steeper declivities show the prolific nature of the soil by covering themselves to the very top with a luxuriant growth of grass that atfords pasturage for stock second to nont* in the Union. Further north a few miles is Clear Creek valley, from tw^o to ihree miles in width, thickly dotted over with unmi*itakable signs of thrift and prosperity. Here is one of the oldest settlements in the county, and the farmers are comfortably wealthy and happy. This valley exter.ds from the northwest to the southeast, and is almost parallel with the Muddy valley, with which it unites i^ome distance below. !Mason Citv is reached from this valley through canons which nature has provided as natural road beds, with easy road grades over the summit. An arm of this valley is called Elk valley, which winds up to the high lands and spreads out, forming Lee's park, a broad expanse of level land of several thousand acres in extent, and containing a thriving settlement of well-to-do farmers. This country is all tributary to Mason City. For a distance of three or four miles south of town the country is gently rolling, well adapted to cultivation and grazing, and answering well the description of the country on the north side, except instead of terminating in several valleys, it rises tc^ a level valley called "The Basin,'* which contains some ten square miles of extraordinarily rich farming land, and is occupied by a class of farmers that would do credit to any country. What we say of the people of the basin, however, may equally apply to those of the whole country we are describing. They are Americans, as a rule, of education and intelligence, with here and there one of the better class of Germans, Swedes, Danes and Norwegians.

From Ma«on City, in every direction in the highlands, we find in addition to the vallevs and tables mentioned, a system of narrow^ vallevs, small tables, high parks and terraces, «ei>iirated by hills too steep and irregular for cultivation, but richly covered with a generous coat of native grass, and affording pasture much sui)erior to the longer grasses upon the meadows of the val- leys and tables. This pasture has a peculiarity which distinguishes it from all others. The grass is equally nutritious in winter and in summer, and stock will fatten here in January when there is nothing in a state of nature in the meadow to sustain life. The valley of Elk Creek, one of the beautiful little valleys of Custer county, is almost wholly tributary to Mason City. This valley is settled by a good, thrifty class of farmers, who have fine homes and farms and are a prosperous and happy people. The shiftless, restless, migrating homesteader, who remained long enough to prove up and get a mortgage on his land, has given way for the more thrifty, more prudent, and more industrious farmer and stock raiser. The business men and farmers of the southeastern quarter of Custer county welcome the twentieth century with a feeling that there is still greater prosperity for all who apply business methods, honesty and industry to their transactions.

Among the earlier settlers of this part of Custer county who yet remain on their original homesteads, we might mention James R. Lang, James Bingham of Round Grove, Samuel Weaver, Sr., and his two sons, S. L. Weaver and S. W. Weaver; James McAllister, a former Union Pacific conductor, John O. Jackson, John A. Hall, John A. Amsberry, Jacob Cover, W. Z. Amsberry, J. C. Peterson, Niels Anderson, Mrs. Mary Holm, Oscar Estby, Ix)uis Lee, William Purcell, formerly deputy sheriff, W. T. Whitehead, H. T. Coffman, Mrs. Francis Amsberry, J. H. Brand, C. R. Young, P. M. Dady, Q. J. Dady, L. L Dady, R. R. Martin, Peter Simonson, Elisha King, Eli Cole, John Spencer, James Gauley, J. M. Lowry, M. M. Stender, John W^alker, John Jelinek, Samuel English, James Smith, Sr., James Smith, Jr., Frank Jennings, Chris Samp, Fred Trennt, Joseph Jelinek, E. W. Tufford, Anton Dobesh, John Flynn, Mrs. Thorn, William Burke, B. P. Morris and others whom we cannot mention for lack of space. We are weU represented in this part of Custer county by good schools and churches in various localities, Sunday schools, postoflSces and other facilities and comforts of civilization.

Arnold is a small town located in the western part of Custer connty, on the Bouth Loup river. It was named in honor of (leorge Arnold, who located iu the vicinity in 1876, and who was a membi^r of the ranch firm of Arnold & Kitchie. The northeast quarter of section 28, township 17, range 25, on which Arnold stands, was located as a claim by K. E. Allen, who established a small store in his sod house in 1882. The town was laid out in 1883, and a large building erected by S. E. Edwards, which was occupied by Blum Bros, as a jreneral store. In 1884 Ben Hardin put in a general store, and the same year William Ray established a blacksmith shop, R. A. Probert a hardware store, C. L. Long a drug store, while a water j)ower flouring mill was built by S. Lelaud & Sons. The postoffice had been established in 1877 at the ranch of Arnold & Ritchie, three-quarters of a mile from the present site of the village, but in 1881 it was moved to the residc^nce of R. E. Allen. Dr. J. H. Murray located in 1884 and practiced his profession there until 18110. In 1886 John Finch and Virgil Cannon put in a drtig stor(^ Alexander Robertson a bank, and Miss Mary Robertson a millinery store. In due time a hotel and the 'arious other lines of busim^ss common to villages of its class were established. The present ])opulation of the village is about 150, and the following lines of business are represented: A. G. & M. E. Iloffman, general merchandise; Allen & Son, hardware and implements and livery; Frank Anson, hotel; C. C. Parsons, barber shop; Albert Hansberry, jeweler; F. E. Needham, grocery and meat market; Joseph Tease, blacksmith shop; William Ray, breeder of fine horses and jacks; Ben Hardin, general store, hardware and undertaking; T. H. B. Beach, general merchandise and dealer in live stock; R. E. -Mien, dealer in all kinds of live stock; David R. Parks, ice dealer; John Finch, diiiggist; B. E. Robinson, physician; W. M. Beach, postmaster; Alvin Harris, miller, who operates the Arnold roller mills, with a capacity of sixty barrels per day. The Arnold school is in charge of Miss Amy Robinson. The morality of the community is kept up to a high grade by three churches. Christian, Baptist and Methodist.

The country surrounding Arnold cannot be excelled for fertility. Stock raising is an industry gf great importance* and is bound to become more so in the future. A railroad has just been surveyed from Callaway to Gandy, Arnold being one of the stations on the line. Through the enterprise of Ben Hardin, a tele|)hone line has recently been constructed to Callaway, connecting the village with the rest of the world.

One of the first settlers on tliis table land was J. B. Klump, who took .1 homestead and timber ( laim in section 12, township 17, range 23, in March, 3883. D. W. Widaman and B. F. Cole were the first settlers on the northeast part of this table. Samuel High also located about the same time that Klump did, and dug a well 350 feet deep, but it was not a success. During the same year there arrived thr(»e brothers by the name of Lang, with their father and mother, and John and Moses Truesdale. In the spring of 1885 came Peter F. Forney. Charles Blakesman, Charles Zachary, Daniel Sweeney and John Wehliug. These settlers dug cisterns near the lagoons and cemented them, which held water from the melted snow and rains for some months. When the cisterns became dry the only recourse was to haul water in barrels from the valley two or three miles distant, and an}* one who is acquainted with the steepness of the ascent up lo the table land can imagine what a task it was. In addition they often had to pay 5 cents i>er barrel for the water. As they not only had to haul watcM' for their household use, but for whatever stock thev had, Mr. Forney started in to haul water in two barrels, but he soon found that process too slow. He had four horses, four head of cattle and some hogs, and as it took over half of his time hauling water, he almost begrudged the poor beasts what they wanted to drink. Peter Forney was the first man to put down a gravel well on the table. It was an iron casing well, 444 feet deep and cost him ifGOO. For two years this well supplied the families of Widenuin, Cox, Maupin, Hill, Blakeman, Taylor, Cooney and Pike. Mr. Fornc*y had to mortgage his farm in order to put down this well, and by the time it was paid for the interest, added to the principal, amounted to f 1,050.

At this writing this table land is thickly settled. It has won the reputation of being the best wheat-producing iX)rtion of Custer county, and contains some splendid farms. Most of the sod buildings have given way to tine residences of wood and the commodious barns and outbuildings impart a most prosperous appearance to the table. Windmills are seen by the score and the water problem no longer troubles the people of that community. The table is fifteen miles long and has an average width of four miles. From its edges, which rise almost abruptly from the valleys below, a magnificent view of the Mirrounding country can be had. The soil is exceedingly rich and fertile, and in favorable seasons very large crops are raised.

And Short Sketches Of Early Days In Nerraska

For some time. past numerous complaints have been made of robberies eommitted by unknown parties in unoccupied houses. Everything seemed to tie acceptable to the thieves. Monday afternoon Mr. Simon Landis came into 1 own and swore out a warrant before Justice Deems for the arrest of two ijien, names unknown, who had robbed him of harness and other articles to t-he value of |36, and had also stolen some carpenter tools from the house of Henrv Schuette.

The warrant was placed in the hands of Mr. Fred Jephcott, constable of "^oel, and L. M. Holman, constable of Callaway, for service. These gentlemen i in mediately started up the valley in pursuit, and struck the trail at Finch- IHatton's ranch and followed it to Arnold, where they got a fresh team and "^-ere joined by the Arnold constable, Mr. Brown. The party followed the "t^^rail north to Hackberry canon, and all along the road heard of the depreda- '-ions committed by the robbers. They had at one place left their old wagon 2ind taken a better one, but the trade was to their injury, for the wagon they «itole had wire wrapped around a loose tire and left a distinct mark on the :voad that was easily seen. They also stole a gun, four silk handkerchiefs and ^ revolver. The Callaway constable held the trail while the Arnold contingent scouted around. After finding the search in the canon useless the party ^went on up the road to Anselmo, where they again changed horses. From 'there the pursuers followed traces of the robbers to a point three miles north of Dale, when they found the robbers had doubled in their road and gone to Luce's canon. When the constables got there they found that the robbers liad gone to Merna the night before (Monday) and stopi)ed there over night.

By this time the constables were tired out, having traveled a day and a night without rest or food, so they went on to Broken Bow, having sent out scouts to scour the country around.

Sheriff Penn being absent from town, the constables, with some deputies, Htarted out with two teams. The Callaway constable, Mr. L. M. Holman, the Noel constable, Mr. Fred Jephcott and Mr. Joseph Trout, with a driver, were in one wagon, and the rest of the party were in the other. At about dusk they met a man on the main road at the mouth of the canon, who told them that the robbers were coming. The officers then separated into two parties, the Callaway party taking to the right and the others to the left.

This caiioii is six miles north of Broken Bow. one-half mile north of Peter lohat s stock farm, on laud belonpng to the Hunter ranch, since known as Jead Man's canon.

At the ed<;e of the canon they met tlie robbers in a wagon with bows but no cover. Mr. Jephcott. who took command, immediately on seeing tliem shouted "Halt!" telling the roblxTs to surrender, as his party were officers come to arrest them. No attention was i)aid by the robbers, when Mr. Jephcott ordered them to halt thrcn^' times more.

At the fourth warning the officers saw a flash through the dusk, and could plainly see the men reaching for their Winchester rifles, which were hanging on the bows on each side of the wagon. The word to fire was then given and the Callaway party oix^ned tipon tlie rol)l>ers, being immediately followed by the Arnold party. At the first fire one of the men who was sitting on the side of the wagon furthest away from the Callaway party, sprang from the wagon to the ground, dead. A rifle bullet had passed through his body, entering at his left side and passing out at the right. The oth(*r man fell to the bottom of the wagon box and the horses went t(^aring down the canon.

The otticers at once followed and overtook the team a mile and a half away, but the other man had es<a]»e(l cm a saddle^ horse that had bcH.'n tied to the wagon. Half an hour after the slaying Shiaitr Penn arriv(»d on the scene. He at once took jx^ssession of the wagon, team and the cer])se of the dead man and brought them to l»i(»ken Bow.

The half-bnn^d Mexican num was about twenty-five years of age, six feet high and well built. Inside his shirt, covered with <lottCHl blood, was found a badge of the Cincinnati detective force.

The wagon box was half full of miscellaneous articles, which they had probably stolen. Among them were seviMal guns, revolvers, saddles, clocks, carjienier tools, silk handkerchi(*fs and other artich^s.

the fall of 1887 M' the Lincoln Townsite Company, who bought IGO acres of land of Wallace Highbee for the purpose. R. G. Crossett and Johnson put up the first general store. Tlie next store building was moved from IxMii, being the pioneer building'used as a store in this portion of Custer county. Built by John Moran. This store was occupied by W. D. Cox as a general store. H. Ho(*kman built the hotel now owned by George Mary, IjOwIs Wambsgan built the first livery stable, which was run by Godloup Bensler.

The men now doing business in this hustling little village are three general stores, R. E. Brigam, George Mary and W. A. Dickman; Al. Punda, restaurant aDd summer drinks; Mrs. George Mary, hotel; Mr. Mary, besides a general store, has a lumber yard and sells coal; Drs. Wade & W^ade; John Middleswartz, livery and feed stable; K. C. Chumblev and A. Conard buv and sell live stock; Fred Woods, blacksmith; two grain dealers, the Omaha Elevator Company, H. Champan & Co.; A. Narrigan, feed mill; milliner, Mrs. George Mary; G. C. Mullen, Charles Redfern, hydraulic well business; S. K. Davis, contractor and builder.

The morals of the little village of Oconto are well looked after by three church denominations: Catholic church, established in 1889, Rev. Pedlock of Kearney officiating; the Episcopal church, established in 1890, preaching supplied from Kearney; also the p]vangelical church, completed and dedicated in April, 1901. Oconto also has a nine-months fine school every year; present teacher, Miss Marie Walch.

The village of Comstock, the youngest town in Custer county, is located on the east bank of the Middle Loup river on the Aurora & Sargent extension of the B. & M. railroad. The town was located and surveyed in 1899. A store building was moved over from Westcott by W. IT. Comstock and located on the new townsite, which was named in honor of him. Frank Lemon opened up a grocery store in this building. On September 25th James Hines began the blacksmithing business. On October 1st Frank and John Currie began buying grain, commencing at the same time the erection of an elevator. On c)ctober :jrd the railroad company opi^ned its station for business, P. C. Croaker agent. On October 4th Dierks Lumber and Coal Company, John I/ierks, manager, unloaded its first shipment of coal at this point. On Octo- ber 10th Robert Stone begiin buying stock, with H. H. Wlieeiep as agent, followed in December by Mr. Parks, both building stock yards. In October a j;eneral hardware and implement store was opened. The poatoilice opened for biisiQess November l!)th with S. T. Stevens as postmaster. Tlie hotel was completed and opened to the public in November, but was soon found to be too small for the proper accommodation of the traveling public. A feed and sale stable was in operation in December. Walter Hammond opened a barber shop in December, and Albert Apperson commenced the drayiiig business at the same time. January, lilOO, M. I, Fried opened with a line of implements. Kliaa Cleveland finished his dwelling and moved into it in Febniaiy. J. F. Wescott, contractor and builder, moved into town in February, but did not complete bis dwelling until the following May. F. H. Kernohan had his brick store and residence ready for occnpancy in May, In September J. W, Comstock ojiened a harness store and repair shop. In December Wescott & Gibbons moved their general merchandise store from the west «ide of the river and began business in Comstock. In January, 1901, Frank Hammond began business in a new blacksmith and wagon repair shop. R. K. Bangs moved into the hotel in Januarv. C. N. McWorthv built his house for a residence, mil linery and dressmaking store in February. In March the Modern Woodmen commenced the erection of a two-story building, the ground floor to be used as a drug store, bank and meat market, and the upper floor for a public ball. A commodious school house was built in the fall of 11)00. The first child born in the village of Comstock was Helen Apperson, February 23, 1900.

About the 10th day of June. 1SS9. in company with R. D. McCarthy and family and two of his teamsters, we started for our future home in Custer county. We arrived at ^neca. where we found the beginning of a rising young town, it being one and a half miles up Clear creek from the present town of Westerville. We stayed over night at the house of George Copsey, one of the old pioneers of the ])lace. We were now within one day's travel of our destination. We crossed ov(»r to the Muddy the next forenoon. We camped for dinner near the present site of Broken Row. The only settlers we found close by were Wilson Hewitt and Dan Lewis. Mr. Hewitt was the proprietor of a blacksmith shop which we afterwards patronized. That evening we obtained our first view of the Muddy Flats, as it was called at that time. We paused on the brow of the table and the male portion of the company descended and threw up their hats with a "hurrah," for lo, and behold! there it lay in full view - the promised land. Descending from the table we arrived at the first settler's cabin, which, by the way. was not of sod, but cedar logs, the only one of its kind on the flats as far as I know. There we got some water and a kindly greeting from the proprietor, Sam Dunning. On our way from Dunning's place to our pres<>nt location we passed the dugout of A. Thomas, a genial young bachelor. There were several other young men ing with him who had as yet not erected their future mansions. It was now about sundown and four more miles to th<» end of our journey. At about dusk we arrived at our claims and found there, on land adjoining, William Couhig, who had preceded us by ten days. He had made considerable progress with his work, having put down a well, which proved to be a great convenience. The well was dug by C. R. Krenz, an expert in that line of business, who still resides in Dale valley, and was the father of the first born in Dale.

Among the settlers that came in that summer were the following: Willaim Corcoran, Patrick Kilfoil, after wiiom Kilfoil precinct was named; William Walsh and family, Joseph Sitler, another young bachelor; George W. Hartley, who w^as the first settler in Ortello valley; Andy Sommer, Charles Foote, Lenn Thomas, Charles Johnson and John Jaquot, all of whom built residences out of prairie sod, with some of Uncle Sam's cedar for rafters, which at that time was comparatively plentiful in the canons from ten to thirty miles w^est of here. There was no corn raised close by, except a small amount down on Victoria creek, in 1880, and that was held at 50 and GO cents per bushel, and could be had for no price in the spring. Crops were good in 1881, and those who had ground broken out and raised corn were all right, having plenty for feed and a good home market for the balance, at a price ranging from 50 to 75 cents per bushel.

Several other settlers came during the year 1880 and took up claims, but did not permanently locate here until 1882. J. J. Joyner was the only settler that moved in during 1881, and he located in Ortello valley. In 1882 the following came: Conrad Fleischman, Christopher Nichols, James Daley, James Wood, G. N. Thompson, Charles Fodge, S. H. lieed, James Stanford, G. W. Land, Samuel Ti'out, all with their families. About this time the Dalepostoffice was established with James Daley as postmast^n*, who afterwards resigned in favor of D. S. Lohr, who went into the general merchandise business in Dale, getting quite a trade from fifty to seventy-five miles west and north of here. In fact it was a typical frontier store. The town of Dale was laid out the previous summer. Dale tried hard for the railroad, but the company could not see it in that way. We are^ howx^ver, admirably located in regard to railroad towns, Merna being five or six miles southeast and Anselmo eight or nine miles northwest.

The next two or three years the following named settlers moved here: J. A. Kellenbarger, William Moore, Charles Michele, Frank Michele, C. H. Cass, G. D. Grove, C. C. Grove, Henry Sweeney, Dan Foley, A. Glidewell, P. B. Riley, Jason Lucas, A. C. Towie, Henn' Barrett, William Brookman, I. A. Coleman, Dr. L. L. Crawford, James Philli]>s, Thomas Kelley, Joseph Vessels and R. J. Kelley, the last named being a pioneer merchant, one of the present firm of Kelley & Duncan, who in 1886 moved to Merna, where he has been in business ever since. Nick Jaquot came about the same time, or perhaps a little before. He is a man of great enterprise, being largely interested in farming, stock raising and feeding, also proprietor of one of the Mema elevators, and a hog buyer. C. D. Pelham, the pioneer merchant of Broken Bow, afterwards moved to Dale, where he did business for several years, finally moving to Anselmo, where he now resides. Dale has a fine Catholic church and parsonage, also a cemetery and some real estate property worth several thousand dollars. The church was built in 1886 by the Rev. T. P. Haley, now resident pastor of the North Platte church. Our present pastor is the Rev. P. Flannagan, a man loved and respected by all.

The Dale mission was establislied some time in 18S2 bv R<*v. Father Boyle. The fii^t ones to ask for a priest, as far as tlie writer knows, were J. J. Downey and Robert McCarthy. Father Boyle was the first priest, and visited Dale valley in 1882 to administer to the wants of the few families that first settled there. He made the Dale mission a regular station. Mass was said alternately at each house. During Father Hayes' administration the people made preparations to build a church. The building was to be brick, and for the purpose of obtaining the material with which to build the church a brick yard was laid out on one of Mr. McCarthy's claims. One hundred thousand bricks were made and burni^ for the church. Lumber was pur chased aud hauled from Grand Island, a distance of 150 miles. About this time the people had spent over f800, but on account of the new railroad which was soon to be built through this section to the Black Hills, the church was not built at that time, as difficulties arose as to where the church should be located. Some wanted it on their farms or near their homes, while others wanted it btiilt at Merna or Anselmo. The old settlers advocated building it at Dale. Father Hayes' last visit to the mission found matters in a worse condition than ever. In June, ISSO, Father Hayes was appointed pastor of the church at O'Connor, Greeley county, and his assistant. Father Haley, was made pastor of Kearney and its missions, which included Dale. To his sur- priw, whfn he viHilfd Dak' misxioii. lip foiiuii a divided people, caused by tlie disputes as to the Incatioii of the r-hiin'li. After a conniiltation with the principal members of the inixsioii it was decided to lay tlie matter bofore Bixliop O'Connor. This was soiiie time in Jidy, 1886. In abont a week Uishop O'Connor ordered the ohnn-li to be built at Dale. It is easy to imagine the joy of the old settlers, J. J. Downey, llobeit McCarthy, William Coiihij;. Con Fleischnian, Winiam Walsli. Robert Kelley, George (irove, Cbris. Grove, William Brookman and ('his. Micheal, wlien they learned of the bishop's decision. A snhseHplion list was oiM'ne<i and the nei'essary preparations made to Itegin work as soon aa [Hissible. The bricks already bnrned were of poor qnality and not snllicient in niianlity for a brick building. Some were n«ed for ihe foundation of the residence and church and the chimneys. The balance were sold, out of which was realized some |4llfl. There was a loss of nbont the same anionnl. Neatly all the lumber that had been hauled from

Fatlier Haiey was a|>point<-<l ihc lirst residi-nee pastor of Dale. He arrived ou the above date at tlie beginiiin); of one of the worst bli/./.ards tliat state has ever had. For three days lie was Knowbouud at tlie home of J, J. Downey. When the storm was over the foundation for the residence was begun. Many hands made light work. In a few weeks the n-sidence was partly completed and Father Haley moved into and lived in it for nearly two years before it was properly [ilastered. Mass was said in the south half of the residence until the church was htiilt. One tine day iii Xovendier - the very last day of the month - several of the old sctllers met to brrak fjrouud for Ihe church. While 80 doing George Orove said lo Father Haiey: "Father, to-day is St. Andrew's day; would it not be a good idea to name the church St. Andrew's Church?" Father Haley paused and said: "Men, what do you thiak?" They all assented, and hence the Chnrih of Kt. Andrew's at Dale received its name. The i-hnrch was built, but was not i-ompleti'd for several years. Xotwithstanding the dilficulties under which the church and residence were built, sufBcent notes were given by the members to pay the debt and these were deposited with the lumber company to pay for the lumber. Father Haley governed the parish with success, and in October, 1888, a successful mission was given by the famous Father Ramen, for which the people gave him $118.25 for one week's work. After this mission Father Hoeheisel was sent to Dale as an assistant to Father Haley. January 8th, Father Hoeheisi4 was appointed pastor of Dale under tlie suf^ervision and direction of Father Haley, who then moved to Broken Bow to take charge of that church and the missions attached. Father Hoeheisel renuiiued but a short time as pastor of Dale and Father Donahue was sent to take liis place. He in turn was succeeded by Father Flood, who was foUowcd by Father Flanagan, the present pastor.

"Rev. Thomas P. Haley is well known throughout Nebraska as one of the most energetic and indefatigable workers for the Catholic church. He is a native of Pennsylvania, was educated for the pri(»sthood in Canada, and was ordained twelve years ago. Prior to his coming to Alliance he had charge of the Broken Bow mission. During his stay in Alliance his labors have been unceasing towards uplifting and benefiting in every way members of his faith, and he commanded the highest respect and esteem of the citizens of the town, owing to his manly and virtuous qualities. He gave up this mission on August 1, 1897, and is now stationed at North Platte.'^

The sod and frame buildings in the above illustration represent places in Buffalo. Valley, Custer, Thomas, Sherman and Box Butte counties, Nebraska, where mass was said bv Father Halev before he built the chifrch, from 1880 to 1897, when he was sent to North Platte. One picture shows the eifect of a cyclone on a church, another represents the execution of a young man at Broken Bow, Nebraska. After the church at Dale was built, St. Joseph's Church at Broken Bow was built, July 29, 1888. For some time Dale mission was the center whence Father Haley did his church work. During June, 1887, he built a church at Ravenna, Buffalo county. When he removed to Broken Bow it was made the principal mission. During November, 1891, a church was built at Oconto, Nebraska. I)(»cember, 1889, a church was built at Mas(m City, Nebraska. There are four Catholic churches in Custer county.